Compressor



Dec. 5, 1933. Q wAlNwRlGHT 1,938,472

COMPRES SOR Filed Jan. 19. 1931 mvsNToR BY 7 @QM ATTORNEY);`

Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNirED STATES l COMPRESSOR Y Charles Wainwright, Erie, Pa. Application January 19, 1931. Serial No. 509,783

2 Claims.

This invention relates to air compressors, especially of the vertical type and has for an object the provision of a compressor having a high volumetric efficiency when operating at very high piston speeds.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a compressor having a cylinder provided with an auxiliary air inlet valve for the relief of a vacuum, and for use in connection with an air operated plunger, so that when air at a predetermined pressure is supplied to this plunger, the latter will hold the auxiliary air inlet valve open and unload the compressor cylinder.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention further includes the following novel features and details of construction, to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing a compressor constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being lshown in elevation.

Figure 2 is a view partly in transverse section and partly in end elevation.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially on the line AA of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character 10 indicates the base or foundation upon which rests a compressor 11 and its driving motor 12, the motory shaft being connected directly to the compressor shaft so that the speed of the compressor will be equal to the speed of the motor.

The compressor 11 may 'ce of any suitable type, the one shown including a pair of cylinders 13 within which operate pistons 14, the latter being connected to a crank shaft 15 through the medium of connecting rods 16. The shaft 15 is provided with a ily wheel 1'? which operates within the compressor casing. y

The cylinders are provided with a head 18 Ybetween which and the adjacent end of the cylinders is a valve head 19. This'valve head is provided with a recess 29 which carries an inlet valve 21 and an outlet valve 22. An opening 23 communicates with the recess 20. 59 The compressor housing is provided with an air inlet port 24 which communicates with an air chamber 25 through a passage 26 provided in the valve head 19, so that when the valve 21 is open, the cylinder will be in communication with the atmosphere. The valve head 19 and the inlet valves 2l are similar to the valve head and inlet valves disclosed in my copending application iiled April 25, 1930, Serial No. 447,315.

The cylinders 13 are provided with circumferentially spaced air inlet ports 27 which provide 69 communication with the atmosphere through passages 28 which lead from the inlet port 24, while the outlet ports 29 of the cylinders are in communication with an outlet port 30 through a passage 31 provided in the cylinder head 18, the 55 valve head 19 and the compressor housing.

The ports 27 are arranged at the limit of outward or downward stroke of the pistons 14 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawing and during the outward or downward travel of the pistons, the valve 21 which provides an auxiliary air inlet valve, is opened by the suction of the piston to prevent the formation of a vacuum within the cylinder. When the pistons reach their limit of downward or inward movement, atmospheric air is admitted through the ports 27 and is compressed on the upward stroke of the piston and delivered through the port 30.

By means of this arrangement and combination of air inlet ports 27 and auxiliary air inlet 80 valves 21, any high vacuum Within the cylinder when the piston is on its downward stroke is broken, enabling the compressor to operateat a high volumetric eiciency and at a very high piston speed.

The auxiliary valves 21 may also be used to unload the compressor cylinder and for this purpose the cylinder head 18 is provided with a plunger chamber 32 for each cylinder. Operating within these chambers 32 are plungers 33 which 90 are normally held in raised position by means of springs v34. The plunger chambers 32 are adapted for connection with a storage tank or unloader through the medium of pipes 35. When air Within the tank or unloader (not shown) reaches a predetermined pressure, this pressure acting upon the plunger 33 will open the valve 21 and unload the compressor cylinder.

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention what is claimed l. A compressor including a cylinder having a closed end, a pistonvslidably mounted in said cylinder, the cylinder just within the plane of the pressure face of the piston in its most remote position from the closed end, being provided with los a series of inlet ports extending throughout the periphery of the cylinder, a yieldingly seated outlet valve at the discharge end of the cylinder, and an inwardly opening valve at the discharge end, the last said valve admitting elastic fluid on the suction stroke of the piston to break the vacuum on the latter, but the bulk of said fluid to be compressed being admitted through said inlet ports just prior to beginning the compression stroke of said piston.

2. A compressor including a cylinder having a. closed end, a piston slidably mounted -in said cylinder, the cylinder just within the plane of the pressure face of the piston in its most remote position from the closed end being provided with a series of inlet ports extending throughout the periphery of the cylinder, a yieldingly seated outlet valve at the discharge end of the cylinder, and an inwardly opening Valve at the discharge end, the last said Valve admitting elastic fluid on the suction stroke of the piston to break the vacuum on the latter, but the bulk of said uid to be compressed being admitted through said inlet ports just prior to beginning the compression stroke of said piston, the closed end of the cylinder being provided with a chamber in communication with a storage supply of elastic fluid under pressure, and a plunger slidably mounted in said chamber and engaged with said inwardly opening valve to actuate the latter and unload the compressor on the attainment of a predetermined pressure in the storage supply.

l CHARLES WAINWRIGHT. 

